plate no. 3420
Staraya Russa
Boris Kustodiev, 1921
recreation guide
Boris Kustodiev’s 'Staraya Russa' (1921) is a cityscape executed in oil, reflecting his background as a realist painter who often depicted provincial life and merchant culture (Source 8). While the specific visual details of this particular cityscape are not described in the provided sources, Kustodiev’s general practice involved recreating observed realities with a rich, plentiful aesthetic reminiscent of Ostrovsky plays (Source 8). The work belongs to the Realism style, requiring a sound craftsmanship and knowledge of medium capacities to properly reduce thoughts to visual form (Source 1). As a cityscape, it likely employs compositional principles such as establishing a center of interest and avoiding exact bisections of space to guide the viewer’s eye (Source 5).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
7 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints | Primary medium for the artwork | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and adjust drying time | — |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent for thinning paint and cleaning brushes | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | — |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | For initial sketching of the subject | — |
| Palette knives and rags | For application, scraping, and adjusting paint layers | — |
| Varnish | For glazing and finishing, mixed with oil | — |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific ground preparation for Kustodiev is not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting techniques often begin with sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 4).
underdrawing
Sketch the cityscape composition onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. This aligns with traditional oil painting techniques where the artist sketches the subject before applying full paint layers (Source 4).
underpainting
Consider using a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values. This technique involves mentally extracting red and yellow colors to translate what would be left in nature, providing a foundation for subsequent glazing and scumbling (Source 2). This method was practiced by old masters and can help manage the complexity of a cityscape (Source 2).
color palette
Ultramarine
Ultramarine pigment
General use in underpainting or cool tones, as referenced in Reynolds' method (Source 2)
White
White pigment
General use in underpainting and highlights (Source 2)
Black
Black pigment
General use in underpainting for shadows and depth (Source 2)
Red and Yellow tones
Various red and yellow pigments
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and color richness, applied over the dry grisaille (Source 2)
Grey
Mixed from black, white, and ultramarine
Creating a 'grey bloom' through scumbling over darker grounds (Source 2)
composition
As a cityscape, the composition should avoid exact bisections of the picture space and ensure the horizon line does not divide the artwork into two equal parts (Source 5). The prominent subject should be off-centre to create a more dynamic composition, balanced by smaller satellite elements (Source 5). Use detailed areas and 'rest' areas to guide the viewer's eye, ensuring the gaze moves around all elements before leading out of the picture (Source 5).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the cityscape composition onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Ensure the composition follows principles of visual ordering, such as avoiding exact bisections.
Initial sketching
underpainting
step 02
Create a grisaille underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values and forms.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors to focus on value structure.
Monochrome underpainting
first pass
step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely before proceeding.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation and may take up to two weeks to dry to the touch.
Drying
refining
step 04
Apply glazes and scumbles using oil and varnish mixed with red and yellow tones.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color, while scumbling is semi-opaque, allowing the underlying painting to show through.
Glazing and scumbling
finishing
step 05
Adjust translucency, sheen, and density using additional media like cold wax or resins if needed.
Tip — Follow the 'fat over lean' rule to prevent cracking and peeling.
Media adjustment
varnishing
step 06
Apply a final varnish layer to protect the painting and enhance color depth.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to add color and depth over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing applies transparent color, while scumbling applies semi-opaque color, allowing the underpainting to influence the final appearance (Source 2).
Fat over Lean
Each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking (Source 4).
Composition Principles
Avoid exact bisections, place the prominent subject off-centre, and use contrast between detailed and rest areas to guide the viewer's eye (Source 5).
common pitfalls
- →Applying layers with less oil than the previous layer, which can lead to cracking and peeling (Source 4).
- →Over-modeling or being too tied down to outlines, which can result in a stiff appearance. Copying works like Reynolds' 'Portraits of Two Gentlemen' can help correct this tendency (Source 1).
- →Failing to allow the underpainting to dry completely before glazing, which can muddy the colors and compromise the transparency of the glaze (Source 2).
- →Dividing the picture space exactly in half, which can create a static and uninteresting composition (Source 5).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of 'Staraya Russa' such as the exact layout of buildings, sky conditions, or specific color choices are not described in the sources.
- ·Kustodiev's specific palette preferences for this particular work are not detailed, though general practices are inferred.
- ·The exact size and dimensions of the canvas are not provided.
- ·Specific brushwork techniques unique to Kustodiev for cityscapes are not described in the sources.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to General advice on craftsmanship and correcting tendencies like over-modeling
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Techniques for glazing and scumbling over a grisaille underpainting
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 1 — applied to General principles of composition and elements of design
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to Specific compositional rules for cityscapes
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials, techniques like 'fat over lean', and drying times
Wikipedia bio — Boris Kustodiev↗
- Boris Kustodiev — part 1 — applied to Artist background and general style context
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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